Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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yy~ ~ N O r~ ~ n~ r
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Container for soiled and/or contaminated materials
The present invention relates to a device according to the preamble of claim
and to the preferred use thereof.
A container for kitchen waste is known from US-A-4,996,467 and is provided on
its front surface with infrared sensors which detect a potential user and
actuate an electric stepping motor which opens a lid on top of the container
via a cable pull. The stepping motor is designed for clockwise and counter-
clockwise rotation. It opens the lid during a predetermined period, for
example 30 s, and closes it by electrical reversal of the direction of
rotation.
The cable pull engages a lever-type extension of the lid so that, during the
entire process, the electric motor has to overcome the turning moment
generated by the lid and has a correspondingly high energy requirement.
The necessary, relatively high output of the stepping motor and its high
energy requirement, which excludes battery operation and necessitates a
mains power supply, are consequently disadvantageous.
It is generally known that, in public toilets, in hotels and also at home,
objects
are thrown into the toilets, blocking them and often even preventing
drainage into the sewers.
The reason for this behaviour, which has serious consequences, is usually
because suitable containers are not provided at the desired site of disposal
and/or they are unpleasant to use.
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Therefore, the object of the invention is to provide a device, by means of
which soiled and/or contaminated objects and materials can be collected
without it being necessary to touch the outside of the containers provided, in
particular their openings and closures.
The device must function with minimal auxiliary power so that battery
operated versions are also feasible. In addition, it must be manually
operable,
for example if there is insufficient or no supply voltage.
This object is achieved by the features of claim 1.
The invention prevents soiled and/or contaminated objects from coming into
contact with the opening region of the container and eliminates the need to
touch the container, either with one's hands or by means of implements.
The defined opening angle of the lid, ensured by the drive mechanism, also
prevents objects from missing the container and polluting the environment.
The resulting, gravitationally induced replacement of the lid is especially
energy-saving. The cable-operated drive mechanism causes only slight
friction losses and therefore also requires only a small amount of electrical
energy.
If necessary, the lid can be opened by hand without damaging the drive.
The formation of the cable pull by means of a pivoted lever is kinematically
advantageous and very economical.
Further developments of the subject of the invention are described in
dependent claims.
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The use of gearwheels according to claim 2 provides non-slip force
transmission.
The device according to claim 3 causes deflection of the pivoting
movement, preferably through 90°, so that the resulting rotation
movement is
directly or indirectly transmittable to the lid.
The arrangement according to claim 4, which is preferably formed integrally
with the pivoted lever and separately from the rocker arm, is particularly
space-saving and can advantageously be manufactured by plastics die
casting.
The arrangement according to claim 5 is particularly advantageous; it
enables the device to be wall-mounted.
The embodiment according to claim 6 ensures very easy replacement of the
containers.
According to claim 7, the power supply is not switched on until a container
has been mounted ready for use.
A self-contained power supply - by means of batteries and/or solar cells
(photovoltaic) - ensures universal use of the device, also in locations at
which
there is no mains voltage.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in the following
with reference to drawings, wherein:
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Fig. 1 shows a part sectional side view of a device for the disposal of
sanitary
towels in a toilet area;
Figs. 2 to 4 show three views of the container according to Fig. 1 in the
dismounted state, wherein
Fig. 4 shows the container with open lid;
Fig. S shows the supporting housing according to Fig. 1, without the housing
cover and with its drive mechanism and the associated control
electronics with proximity detector, and
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The floor 16 and part of the wall 17 of the toilet are shown. A wall hook 18
is
attached to the wall 1 7 by means of a fixing 19, the wall hook 18 projecting
through an eye in the supporting housing 12 and carrying the latter. A status
indicator 51 is provided in the surface of the housing cover 12' and signals
the
readiness of the device for use. A proximity detector SO is flush-mounted
below the status indicator 51. In order to prevent unauthorised opening of the
device, it is securable by a lock 13.
Fig. 2 shows a front view of the container 1. The lid 2 and the lip-type
gripping
plate 3 can also be seen. Projections 20 are provided underneath the
container 1 and allow the replaceable container 1 to stand steady on the
floor, for example during its replacement.
The plan view according to Fig. 3 again shows the lid 2 - this time the
externai
form thereof - and the projecting gripping plate 3 which, if necessary,
enables the container 1 to be easily opened manually, is aesthetically
pleasing and provides additional weight for restoring the container 1 to the
closed state.
The side view according to Fig. 4 shows the container 1 in the open state A.
The further form of the gripping plate 3, the lid 2 with its sidewalls 4 and
reinforcing ribs 4', and a link 7 with its concealed pin 6, acting as a pivot,
can
also be seen.
Fig. 5 shows all the components arranged on the supporting housing 12. This
support l2 is suspended from a hook on a wall by means of its eye 18 and is
fixed to the wall by means of mounting bores 60. Carrying tabs 59, provided
for suspending the above-described container 1, are also integrally
connected to the supporting housing 12. The presence of a container 1 is
signalled by a microswitch 33 mounted on the supporting housing 12, a
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contact spring 33' provided on the microswitch 33 being actuated and the
device being electrically connected ready for use by the weight of the
container 1.
The whole assembly is protected by a housing cover 12' (not shown in this
Figure) positioned on reinforcing boundary strips 57 and centering pins 62 and
secured by a locking member 61 .
The electric motor 22, provided for driving the lid 2, is mounted in the
bottom
right-hand corner of the supporting plate 12 by means of clamps 23. The
motor spindle 24 carries a small pulley 25 in which a thin cable 26 is secured
by a knot in a bore (not shown). The electric motor 22 is powered via its
connecting terminals 27 by way of power supply lines 28, 28' leading to
further connecting terminals 27' arranged on a battery box 63 and providing
a terminal voltage of 6V direct current.
The other end of the cable 26 is knotted in a bore 30 provided in a pivoted
lever 29 having a pivot pin 31 on the left-hand side. Gearwheel segments 32
are integrally connected to the plastics lever 29. They form part of a bevel-
gear transmission and mesh, at an angle of 45°, with further gearwheel
segments 32' which are connected to a pivot pin 1 1 with a lateral bearing 1
1'
and carry a cam 9. The transmission is mounted in the plane orthogonal to
the supporting housing 12 in a supporting flange 10.
The opposing bearing is formed analogously, although a restoring spring 21
additionally engages the cam 9 on the right-hand side.
All the connecting cables S6, secured by cable fixings 58, lead to a plug-and-
socket connection 55 attached to a circuit board 52. Apart from the
electronic components shown in the block diagram according to Fig. 6, the
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proximity detector SO with its transmitter, the LED 53 and the receiver, the
photodiode 54 and the status indicator S 1 can also be seen on the circuit
board S? according to Fig. S.
The block diagram according to Fig. 6 shows the electronic control means for
the drive mechanism according to Fig. S. All parts ore commercially available
and are adapted to the specific use in a manner known per se.
A microcontroller 65 is controlled by a conventional timing generator 64. Ons
output of the microcontroller 65 is used to activate an LED 53 emitting
infrared
radiation via an amplifier 68, a driver. During operation, this IR radiation
is
received by a photodiode 54. The output signal of the photodiode 54 is sent
via an amplifier 69 to an input of a comparator 67; a reference voltage UR is
switched on at the second input and is also supplied to a further comparator
66. The battery voltage U9, drawn from the battery box 63, is provided at the
second input of the comparator 66. Both outputs of the comparators 66 and
67 lead to the microcontroller 65.
A status indicator 51 is connected up at two further outputs of the
microcontroller 65 and has two LEDs, one of which - designated by gr. (green)
- signals readiness for use, while the other - designated by rf. (red) -
indicates
interruption of operation.
A voltage regulator 70 and amplifiers 71 and 72, which are each connected
as drivers and lead to one terminal of the electric motor 22 via bridge
resistors
73, 74, are provided at further outputs of the microcontroller 65. The second
terminal of the electric motor 22 is connected on the one hand to the
positive pole of the 6 volt source contained in the battery box 63, and on the
other hand to the single output of the voltage regulator 70.
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1 he negative pole of the battery is connected to the common earth, here
designated by E.
A further comparator 75 regulates the current of the electric motor 22, the
one input being arranged between the output of the amplifier 72 and the
bridge resistor 74, and the other input being connected to the reference
voltage U~. The output of the comparator 75 is connected to a further input
of the microcontroller 65.
The reference voltage Up is generated in the microprocessor of the controller
65.
If the radiation from the LED 53 is reflected onto the photodiode 54 by a hand
and/or an object, the electric motor 22 begins to turn for 0.6 s and the cable
26 is wound up; see Fig. 5.
As a result, the pivoted lever 29 pivots downwards. The movement is
transmitted to the pivot pin 1 1 via the transmission 32, 32', thereby moving
the
cams 9 away from the supporting housing 12, i.e. away from the wall 17 in
accordance with Fig. 1. This causes the cams 9 to push against the links 7 and
thereby open the lid 2 in the direction A.
After 3 s, the lid 2 falls back into the rest position under its own weight;
the
container 1 is closed.
The circuit arrangement is dimensioned and adapted so that repeated
opening attempts over a period of 3 s are ineffective, with the result that
unauthorised access to the interior of the container 1 is at least made more
difficult.
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A microcontroller 65 of the PIC 16C620-04P type (trademark MICROCHIP, USA),
a voltage regulator 70 of the LM2936Z-S type (MICROCHIP) and an electric
motor ?2 of the RSS459H242 arect-current motor type (trademark MARBUCHI,
~P) have proved successful.
The motor output is 5 W with a rated speed of 700 rpm.
The device guarantees trouble-free operation for over a year with an
average of 25 openings per day with four conventional single cells ( l .5V
batteries) .
In practice, the containers are replaced at shorter or longer intervals,
depending on the frequency of use, their contents are centrally disposed of
and the containers are cleaned and reused. It has been shown that only a
minimal quantity of gel is necessary because a vaporous atmosphere
develops inside the container and satisfies all hygiene requirements.
Naturally, the invention is not restricted to use in toilet areas. With few
modifications, it can be adapted for use in chemical laboratories, operating
theatres and research laboratories.
Thus, for example, the container can be provided with chemical-resistant
and/or radiation-absorbing materials and the lid can be provided with
suitable seals. The contact pressure of the lid an the container edge can
easily be adjusted by selecting the gripping plate accordingly. The
deodorising gel can also be replaced by other substances such as
disinfectants, absorbers or moderators.
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t.'
List of reference numerals
1 Container (replaceable)
2 Lid (pivotable)
3 Gripping plate (weight)
4 Sidewall
4' Reinforcing rib on 4
Ribs (chute)
Pin (pivot)
7 Links (lateral)
g Rocker arm
9 Cam
Supporting flange
1 1 Pivot pin
1 1' Lateral bearings
12 Supporting housing with drive and control means
12' Housing cover
13 Lock (securing means)
1 4 Soiled materials (sanitary towels)
Deodorising gel
16 Floor (washroom, toilet)
1 7 Wall
1 g Wall hook - eye
19 Fixing
Supporting surface
21 Restoring spring
22 Electric motor (direct current)
23 Mounting clamp
24 Motor spindle
Pulley on 24
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26 Cable (cord)
27. 27' Connecting terminals
28, 28 Power supply line (cable)
29 Pivoted lever
30 Bore (for cable fastening)
31 Pivot pin
32, 32' Transmission / Gearwheel segments (bevel gears)
33 Microswitch
33' Contact spring of 33
SO Proximity detector
51 Status indicator (readiness)
52 Circuit board
53 LED (IR)
54 Photodiode (receiver)
SS Plug-and-socket connection
56 Connecting cable
57 Reinforcing boundary strips
58 Cable fixings
59 Carrying tabs
60 Mounting bores
61 Locking member for 13
62 Centering pins for 12'
63 Power supply / Battery box (bV source)
64 Timing generator
65 Microcontroller
66, 67 Comparators
b8 Amplifier (LED driver)
69 Amplifier
70 Voltage regulator
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71, 72 Amplifier (driver)
73, 74 Bridge resistors
75 Comparator (motor current)
A "Open" movement / open state
E Common earth (negative pole)
Ug Battery voltage
Up Reference voltage
